Felix Ikem, Nsukka
Barely eight months after the election of the executive members of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Enugu State chapter, the body has, again, been engulfed in another crisis, leading to the formation of parallel body of the organisation.
The Daily Sun gathered that the group which held its general election on July 13, 2017, after a long standing feud between then Acting Chairman, Comrade Henry Atigwe, and the then factional leader, Comrade Pascal Ugwu, saw the emergence of Comrade Ugwu as the elected Chairman.
It was learnt that Comrade Atigwe, who also contested for the post of Chairmanship, was disqualified midway into the election on the grounds of age.
According to a member who pleaded anonymity, “Comrade Atigwe was disqualified because he was over aged.
”The one that contested for chairman was disqualified on the case of over age. The constitution of National Youth Council of Nigeria is very clear on the eligibility of a contestant especially as it has to do with age.
“A petition was written to the Electoral Committee headed by Comrade Ogechukwu Nnamene that the contestant altered his age for the soul purpose of contesting the election. After the Committee’s investigations, it was found out that an alteration was done on some of the documents he tendered. That led to his disqualification two weeks before the election.”
Our reporter also had it in confidence of one of the members that since after the election and subsequent inauguration of the new executive members, the group has staggered and swaggered into one crisis and another.
For instance, the December convention which took place in Enugu city would have been cancelled but for the timely intervention of some notable members.
The current crisis that has engulfed the group, Daily Sun gathered was a fall out of the July election with its alleged irregularities which precipitated into non recognition of the the leadership by Comrade Atigwe.
“Though Comrade Atigwe has been attending all the activities of the group, he does not recognize the leadership of Comrade Ugwu. Comrade Atigwe saw himself as the substantive leader of the group because according to him Comrade Ugwu conducted a Kangaroo election which he does not believe in.”
Confirming this to our reporter Comrade Ugwu said, “Yes they have at the last Town Hall meeting organised by my office at Toscana Villa Independence Layout titled “SERVANT LEADERSHIP,THE DECIDING DIFFERENCE”, on 15th February, 2017, they attended.
However, he alleged that Comrade Atigwe was desperate to lead the group.
“When I heard that he (Atigwe) has been impersonating my office, I called him as a brother but he refused picking my calls. When I emerged at the election, he congratulated me and pledged to work with me.
He was not the only person that contested with me. In fact the person who contested to the last minute Comr Prince Ejike Maduakolam Eya is working with me”
In any case, the last straw that broke the back of Carmel came on Saturday, March 17 when Comrade Pascal Ugwu raised an alarm, claiming that Comrade Atigwe was after his life. In a statement he issue on his Facebook page, Comrade Ugwu alleged that he traced him to his wife’s shop.
“On Sunday 18th March, 2017 at about 10:59am, I was at my wife’s shop at Nkwo junction, Nikke very close to Nikke lake when I saw him(Atigwe) with his blue Honda Accord driving slowly looking and pointing directly at my wife’s shop.
“I took it to be that may be somebody requested that he showed him my wife’s shop. When they passed, I stepped out to know their direction only to see them turning back a pole away from my wife’s shop. They got to the shop and stopped. This time pointing ceaselessly, I had to come out for them to see me and they zoomed off.
“I quickly sent messages to two of them asking them if it has gotten to this level. I had to cry out because my life, my family and even my wife’s shop is in danger. We have first reported to the Commissioner of Police, Enugu state. We will report to the state government later.”
However, in a chat with the former Acting Chairman, Comrade Henry Atigwe, he debunked the allegation of threat to life of the Chairman, stressing that he was not even at Enugu at the time Ugwu alleged he was pointing at his wife’s shop.
According to Atigwe, I came to my office at Nsukka early morning that Saturday. As I was going back to Enugu that same evening, I received a text message from Comrade Pascal Ugwu asking me has it gotten to a pont of threatening his life. I told him I didn’t understand what he meant and told me that I came with a stranger pointing at his wife’s shop.
“Before you know it, many of my friends who saw what he posted in his favebook page started calling me on phone, asking me what was going on. So, what I am asking Ugwu how did he know that I was the one inside that car as he alleged?
“How can I be at Nsukka and Enugu at the same time? He should mind himself and stop spreading false information. He started it all by posting on his Facebook that I want to kill him.”
On the issue of NYCN leadership crisis, Comrade Atigwe explained that “You know I was the Acting Chairman while he was the factional leader of the group. By middle of last year, he came to me, saying that we need to unite and form a strong body of the group. I agreed. After the reconciliation meeting we carried on our activities as usual.
“Then on day in July last year, Comrade Ugwu called me on phone to meet him in the office of former Commissioner for youths. When I got there, Ugwu told me that the group has decided to hold election the next two days.
“I refused and told him that we have a constitution that guides the group and election is not held impromptu. Besides, he has no right to call for an election. Before you know what was happening he called some group of persons who voted him in as the Chairman. I went to the National body of the group and lodged my complaint.
“As I am talking to you right now, the national body has issued me a letter asking me to continue as the Acting Chairman pending when proper election is conducted. So, as I speak to you, I am still the Chairman of National Youth Council of Nigeria, Enugu chapter. I have shown the letter to Comrade Ugwu and I have asked him to stop parading himself as the Chairman of the group.”
In the meantime, Daily Sun investigation showed that the group led by Comrade Atigwe is yet to make official statement with regards to the crisis even as Comrade Ugwu led group has continued to receive more and more attention from the partner group.